Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarikaisu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Sunmarikaisu’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and intense dark red-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunmarikaisu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunmarikaisu’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, trailing and freely-branching Verbena cultivars with large inflorescences and attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2004 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VW279, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VW336, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmarikaisu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunmarikaisu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Intense dark red-colored flowers that are held above and         beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are taller and narrower than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena have darker red-colored flowers         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are larger than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena have darker red-colored flowers         than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of Verbena ‘Sunmarired’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,615. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of ‘Sunmarired’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants         of ‘Sunmarired’.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Sunmarired’.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller inflorescences than         plants of ‘Sunmarired’.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Sunmarired’.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena had smaller petals than         flowers of plants of ‘Sunmarired’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmarikaisu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the spring in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures averaging 23° C. and night temperatures averaging 13° C. Plants had been growing for about four months when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmarikaisu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena             hybrida identified as code number VW279, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Verbena hybrida identified as code number VW336, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact; initially upright, then             outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit, stems             eventually decumbent. Freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 25.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 137C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Coarse; pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 147C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             147C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers face mostly upright;             flowers sessile. Freely flowering habit with about 16             flowers per inflorescence and about 23 inflorescences per             plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring to late autumn in Japan; plants begin flowering about             four weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Depth (height): About             2 cm. Tube length: About 1.7 cm. Tube diameter: About 1.5             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.9 mm.             Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to 37A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal length: About 7.9 mm. Petal width: About 6 mm. Petal             lobe shape: Obcordate. Petal lobe apex: Cordate. Petal             margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: Petal, when opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 46B; towards the             throat, close to 46A. Petal, when opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 47B. Throat: Close to 145C. Tube:             Close to 145C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower             with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.3 cm. Sepal             width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower, adnate to corolla tube. Stamen length: About 2.1 cm.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1.4 mm.             Anther color: Close to 144C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Yellow. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil             length: About 1.5 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 144A. Style color: Close to 144D. Ovary color:             Close to 144A. Fruits/seed: Fruit and seed development have             not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbenas. 

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarikaisu’ as illustrated and described. 